India: Farmers hit by heavy rains after drought

In the Warangal district in the Indian state of Telangana, the farming community has been suffering from the effects of drought on their crops; now they have also been hit by untimely rains which descended on the district for the past three days.

Mango orchards, banana plantations and vegetable cultivators have suffered huge losses because of the sudden rains and heavy gales.

Horticulture officials are yet to assess the extent of damage across the district, but according to sources, horticultural crops on about 2,000 hectares have been damaged. ‘The yield this time is much less due to drought conditions and now the heavy gales have added to our woes,’ lamented a farmer.

The founding president of Telangana Karmika Rythu Rajyam party, Martha Rajaiah has demanded the state government provide compensation of Rs 50,000 per acre for mango grooves and Rs 25,000 for other crops.

He wanted the officials to access the crop loss in a comprehensive manner.